


Is That Alright?

by ArgyleMN



Series: Bryce Lahela/Cassie Vanderfield - Canon Universe One Shots [15]
Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25374844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgyleMN/pseuds/ArgyleMN
Summary: Bryce has one more question for Cassie. Set a little over two years after the start of Open Heart book 2.
Relationships: Bryce Lahela/Main Character (Open Heart)
Series: Bryce Lahela/Cassie Vanderfield - Canon Universe One Shots [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768597
Kudos: 8





	Is That Alright?

As Cassie laid down in their bed, she couldn’t help but stare at her left hand. Her fourth digit, to be more specific. His proposal had taken her a little bit by surprise, particularly given how long it had taken him to feel comfortable with the terms “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.” But hey, they both were clearly planning on spending the rest of their lives with each other, so she was perfectly happy to be officially, formally engaged. Seeing that ring, having a physical reminder of that promise, well it was still just a little new. It seemed natural to be distracted by it at this point.

She heard the bathroom door opening just a second too late. She tried to drop her hand and act like she hadn’t been fawning over the ring like some sort of stereotype, but Bryce’s little smirk told her that she wasn’t fooling him even a little bit. Cassie scrambled to come up with a retort or joke, something to knock his ego back in line just a hair, but to her surprise, he climbed into bed next to her, picked up her hand, and started playing with the ring himself. Okay, maybe they were both a little in awe of their upgraded relationship status.

“I wasn’t supposed to ask your dad, was I?” His question broke the surreal nature of the moment, even as Bryce continued to caress her hand.

“Like, for his _permission_?”

“Yeah.”

Cassie figured he had to be joking, but when she turned to face him, she was shocked by how serious and earnest he looked as he stared straight into her eyes. 

“You want to know if you were supposed to ask a man I haven’t lived with in about a decade if he would _allow_ me, a fully grown adult that has a license to practice medicine and a DEA number, to spend the rest of my life with you?”

Bryce chuckled, “Okay, good. I didn’t think anything of it, but I just wondered if maybe…”

“Maybe what? That some insanely sexist tradition was a good idea?”

“Nah, I get that it’s sexist. But some traditions are important to people. And sometimes I wonder if… well, if my own relationship with my parents means that I forget that family traditions can mean a lot.”

Cassie let out a little sigh. That made a lot more sense. “Well, this tradition means nothing to me or my father, so you’re in the clear there. In fact, I told him years ago it was his job to _warn_ me if a guy I brought home ever asked for his permission.”

“Really?”

“Yup. Any guy that thinks I am not perfectly capable of making my own life choices is no one I want as a partner.”

Bryce nodded. “Fair enough. Glad I didn’t make you go back on your promise, then.”

“Excuse me?”

“We both know you wouldn’t have been able to say no to me.”

He smirked in that way he always did when he was trying to wind her up, and usually Cassie played along, teasing him right back. But tonight, that didn’t feel right. He’d been genuinely concerned that he had messed up his proposal. This man who put no stock in nostalgia or sentimentality had worried about the way he asked her to marry him, not because it mattered to him at all, but clearly because he thought it might matter to _her_. And while she loved Bryce’s playful, flirty side, it was his genuine, caring, supportive side that she loved even more. And that part of him she just couldn’t bring herself to poke fun at, not even a little.

“You’re right. I would have said yes to you no matter what.”

Bryce’s eyes widened slightly at that, clearly expecting her to fight back a little, but he recovered quickly, a grin spreading across his face before he leaned over and kissed her. 

Cassie meant what she said. She would have always said yes to Bryce. She could safely say that because she was 100% sure that he would have _never_ thought to ask her father. He trusted _her_ , respected _her_. At that was all she could have ever hoped for in a partner.


End file.
